Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife service is responsible for most of the state's public land, which now amounts to 2.5 million hectares following the recent Tasmanian Forest Agreement and the transfer of more reserves from Forestry Tasmania.

The implementation of recommendations from the 2013 Tasmanian Bushfires Inquiry Reportwill include the Strategic Fuel Reduction Plan; something that Parks and Wildlife will be increasingly called upon to address.

The Bushfire Inquiry states that with the significant addition to land under the management of PWS, there will be a substantial increase in risk if sufficient resources are not provided to manage this new responsibility.

The Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage, Brian Wightman spoke with Damien Brown on the ABC Northern Tasmania Drive program, praising the level of fire preparedness by the Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) and its fire-fighting staff.

"We have nine million dollars per annum coming from the Commonwealth to help with new reserves that are made under the Tasmanian Forestry Agreement."

"There is no doubt that fuel reduction burns are incredibly important."

"Recently in Hobart, the Mount Direction burn was very successful, and I note in the Trevallyn Recreation Area, and the Kate Reid Recreation Area, we have a number of fuel reduction burns in those areas, because it is all about protecting communities."

"One of the things that is talked about is a five percent target, or setting a target, and the difficulty with that is that your resources need to be put in to protecting communities."

"We could find five percent of crown land and reserve land to burn, but it must be put towards protecting communities."

In a recent media release he said, "The release of the Bushfire Inquiry report recognised that the PWS was very active in preparation, consistent with the partnership approach which is taken with the Tasmania Fire Service and Forestry Tasmania in the Interagency Fire Management Protocol."

"PWS debriefed on all major bushfire incidents in February 2013 and is making some changes consistent with what it learned."

The PWS has increased its fire fighting capabilities, with the addition of five new vehicles which are being fitted out by the Tasmania Fire Service.

"The state-of-the-art fire vehicles have a 700 litre water capacity and safety features."

"PWS conducted 20 fuel reduction burns over 6,600 hectares last financial year, down on the average of 37 burns over 12,800 hectares but that reflected the long, hard bushfire season extending well into the period when planned autumn burning usually commences."

Mr Wightman said other risk mitigation activities have included the slashing of fire breaks at the boundaries of reserves near houses and the patrolling of high risk areas on days of significant fire danger.

"Parks has developed a bushfire risk assessment tool, based on a computer mapping system, to help identify the areas within reserves with the biggest bushfire risk."

"That tool is now fully operational and is being used to prioritise areas for fuel treatment."